Confirmation

“Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for it had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.” Acts 8:14-17

“By the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.” (CCC #1285)

Baptized adults: Several options are available for adults desiring to be confirmed. Catholic adults who would like to be “updated” in their faith are encouraged to participate in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA.) They can also inquire about a short series of preparation classes offered four to six weeks before the bishop is scheduled to conduct the Rite of Confirmation locally. Adults who are not yet Catholic are welcome to learn more about the Catholic faith in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).

Parents of youth baptized as infants who have not yet received Holy Eucharist should contact the parish office. An interview with the family will be scheduled to help the parish priest and staff determine the best option for the family and child(ren) to prepare to receive any missing sacraments. If a youth is also of the age to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, preparing for this sacrament can be included in the family’s catechetical plan.